Genesis 37

Joseph being better beloved of Jacob then the rest of his brethen is therefore hated by them verse 1 &c. especially upon the relation of his dreams 5 which makes then conspire together as he came to Dothan by his fathers command to kill him 12 but upon the intercession of Reuben they throw him into a pit 21 and afterwards by Judah’s advice they fell him into Ishmaelite passing by there who carry him into Egypt 26 his brethren cover their fact with deceit before Jacob 31. Who takes on graciously for the loss of Joseph 33 whom the Ishmaelite in the mean while fell sells to Potiphar, 36?

1. And Jacob dwelt in the land of stranger ship of his father [see above chapter 17 on verse 8] in the land of Canaan.

2. These are Jacobs acts or occurrences [Heb. Births that is here that which happened unto Jacob in his generation and posterity thus the Hebrew word is taken sometimes see above chapter 6 on verse 9] Joseph being a son of seventeen years fed his flock with his brethren and he was a youth with the sons of Bilha and the sons of Zilpha his fathers wife and Joseh brought their bad report to their father [that is all such things as they either said or did tending to discredit and dispute of themselves and whole family.]

3. And Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, for he was to him a son of old age [whom he had gotten being about ninety one years of age; as also because he was the first born of Rachel of whom he was born after a long tedious time of barrenness. Compare below 44 verse 20] and he made him a coat of many colours. [Heb. of various pieces being of divers colours. Compare 2 Samuel 13:18.]

4. Now when his brethren saw that their father loved him above all his brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceable with him [Heb. To peace or for peace that is they could find that meekness in their heart which is requisite for the maintaining of peace and love.]

5. Likewise Joseph dreamnt a dream which he told his brethren wherefore they hated the more [Heb. They did or added or continued him yet or the more to hate so below verse 8they hated him for three reasons 1. For bringing their bad report to their father Jacob. Verse 2. 2. For being better beloved by his father Jacob then the rest of his brethren verse 4. 3.For his dream sake which he told them.]

6. And he said unto them hear this dream I pray which I dreamnt.

7. And behold we were binding of sheaves in the middle of the fields and behold my sheaf stood up [God was pleased to declare this and the following dream what should come to pass afterwards for to shew and make known that those things did not happen by chance but his own direction and appointment] and remained likewise standing [Heb. Stood likewise also erect] and behold this [this word behold is thrice repeated here by Joseph to shew that this dream was really strange to him and have left a singular impression upon him see the fulfilling thereof below chapter 42.6] your sheaves came around about and bowed themselves even before my sheaf.

8. Then said hios brethren to him shalt thou then be wholly [or assuredly] rule over us [Heb. Shalt should dest thou ruling rule and so in the sequel lording lord Josephs brethren interpretes this dream upon themselves much like unto the Medianites Judges 7:13.] shalt thou then wholly lord over us? So they hated him yet the more for his dream and his words sake.

9. And he dreamnt yet another dream and related it to his brethren and he said behold I have dreamnt another drem yet and behold the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed down before me. [See the fulfilling thereof below chapter 45.9&c.]

10. And when he related it to his father and his brethren and his father rebuked him [more to allay his brethren envy then for any anger towards Joseph for he observed enough that this dream signified some extraordinary matter as appears by the next verse] and said to him what a dream is this that thou dreamiest ? shall we then wholly come I and thy mother [understand his step-mother Leah and Bilha Rachels hand-maid if we shall take it for his own mother who was dead already then Jacobs meaning must be as if he said shall thy mother rise out of the grave to bow herself down before thee on the ground?] and thy brethren for to bow ourselves down to the ground before thee.?

11. Then his brothers envied him and his father kept or observed this thing [others this word that is these words or this relation the meaning is weighed the dreams of Joseph and looked them up in his heart judging that they must needs betoken something and waited observing what it would produce and prove in time compare Luke 2:19.]

12. And his brethren went to feed their fathers flock by Schichem [see above chapter 12 on verse 6 about this place Jacob had formerly bought a piece of ground above chapter 33.19.]

13. Then Israel said to Joseph do not thy brethren feed the flock by Sichem? Feed the flock [the Hebrew had but one word signifying pascere Annon pascunt fraters tui &c. implying the keeping and keeping of the sheep] come let me send thee to them and he said to him behold here I am [see above chapter 22 verse 1 and the annotations.]

14. And he said to him I pray go look after the welfare [Heb. Peace this word doth signify all manner of welfare and prosperity of men not only in general Leviticus 26:6 1 Kings 2:33 Psalms 125:5 Jeremiah 29:7 but also in particular in regard of they bodily health and strength 2 Samuel 18:32 Psalms 38:4 and here item of their souls good estate Numbers 6:26 Isaiah 48:22 Luke .14 John 14:27 together with that of all their goods and cattle moveable and unmovable 1Samuel 25.6 Job 5:24 and here in the words following] for thy brethren after the welfare of the flock and bring me word again [or bring me the business over again that is bring me news or an account of all how things go there] so he sent him out of Vale of Hebron [see above chapter 23 verse 2] and he came to Sichem.

15. And a man found him and he was straying in the field so the man asked of him what sleekest thou?

16. And he said I seek my brethren I pray acquaint me where they feed the flock.

17. Then the man said they are gone from hence for I heard them say let us go to Dothan [a place not far distant from sichem and Samaria where some time where a city was built of that name 2Kings 6.13] so Joseph went after his brethren and found them at Dothan.

18. And they saw him afar off and before they approached him they plotted a crafty design after him [the Hebrew verb doth signify to device or find out or practice some evil with malicious subtilty] and to put him to death [a sad and grievous scandal in Israel family though God who draweth light out of darkness did wonderfully rule and direct the same to his own glory and the accomplishment of his counsel about Jacobs household as appears by the succeeding story.]

19. And the one to the other [Heb. The man of his brother] behold there comes this master dreamer on [or the upper dreamer Heb. Master of dreams see above chapter 14 on verse 13.]

20. Now come then and let us slay him and throw him into one of these pitted and we will say [viz. to our father and all those that shall ask us thus they go about to conceal their vile act with lies] an evil beast hath eaten him up so we shall see what shall come of his dreams [Heb. What his dreams shall be.]

21. Reuben heard that [or when Reuben had heard that and so in the sequel it should seen that Reuben perceiving that his brethren should kill Joseph he was the more willing to yield to this manner set down in the precedent verse his design being to save him afterwards out of the pit as followeth] and delivered him out of their hands [that is he endeavored to deliver him] and he said let us not smite him in his life [Heb. Soul that is life as if he had said let us not take away his life by our own hands the word soul is likewise used like elsewhere see above chapter 19 on verse 17.]

22. Also Reuben said to him spill no blood and throw him into the pit that is in the wilderness and lay not hand on him.[that is put him not to death by your hands see the like phrase above chapter 22.12 where to lay the hand on any is as much as to say to kill him with ones own hand even as Abraham intended it with his sons and this is the same phrase below here verse 27 let not your hand be on him that he might deliver him] out of their hand for to bring him again unto his father.

23. And it came to pass when Joseph came to his brethren that they strip him off his coat of many colours which he had on [see above verse 3 why they did this see below verse 31.]

24. And they took him and threw him into the pit [how Joseph behaved himself in this case see below chapter42.21] yet the pit was empty there was no water in it.

25. After that they sate down to eat bread [viz. to take their ordinary repast see above chapter 31 on verse 54] and lifted up their eyes and saw and behold travelling company of Ishmaelites [a people descending from Ishmael the son of Abraham by Hagar of whose country see above chapter 25 on verse 18below there is mentioned made like wise of Midianites verse 28.36 whence it appears that it was amixt company of several nation dwelling in Arabia] came out of Gilead [see above on chapter 31 verse 21] and their camels carried spices [the Hebrew word doth signify all manner of spices in general] and balsam or balm [others Rofins or Terpentine] and myrrhe [others mastix or stacts see of this spicery likewise chapter 43.11] travelling to bring that down to Egypt [see above chapter 12 verse 10.]

26. Then said Judah to his brethren what gain shall it be that we slay our brother and hide his blood ?[that is his death or his being killed and murdered by us thus the word blood is taken Deuteronomy 17:8 2 Samuel 1:16 and 3.28 2Kings 9.7 &c.]

27. Come and let us sell him unto these Ishmaelites and let not our hand be on him [see above verse 22] for he is our brother and our flesh and his brethren hearkened to him.

28. Now when the Midianite merchants [people descending from Midian the son of Abraham by Ketura. See above chapter 25 on verse 2 and 36 on verse 35] were passing by, then they pulled and lifted up Joseph out of the pit and sold Joseph to these Ishmaelites for twenty silverlings [Heb. Twenty silvers, that is about five Rix-dollars, or twenty two shillings six pence. See above chapter 20 on verse 16 and chapter 23 on verse 15] (and) they brought Joseph into Egypt.

29. Now when Reuben returned to the pit [for he had withdrawn himself from his brethren that he might have the more private opportunity afterwards to get Joseph out of the pit again but in the mean time he was sold away] behold Jopseph was not in the pit then he rent or tore his clothes [this was a customer of old when people heard out there happened some sad and grievous hung to them see below verse 34 Numbers 14:6 2Kings 19.1 Ezra 9:3 Job 1:20 and 2.12 Matthew 26:65.]

30. And he returned to the brethren and said the youth is not [Joseph was about seventeen years old at this time see above verse 2] and wither shall I go? [Reuben is greatly troubled in regard of his father who doubtless would call him to account as the eldest about the loss of Joseph and take the same so much the worse at his hands because of the late trespass whereby he had so highly provoked his father above chapter 35 verse 22.]

31. Then they took Josephs coat and they slew a he goat and dipped the coat in the blood [not doubting the father would judge thereby that Joseph was torn by a wild beast as also he did below verse 33]

32. And they sent the coat of many colours and did bring it unto their father and said this we found acknowledge or discern we pray whether this be his sons coat or not?

33. And he acknowledged and said this is my sons coat and evil beast had devoured him assuredly Joseph is torn in pieces [Heb. Tearing torn that is certainly without all peradventure or wholly and intolerably see above chapter 2.15,16.]

34. Then Jacob rent his clothes [see above verse 29] and laid or put a sack about his loins [that is a very course sleight and worthless garment or weed not just a sack wherewith they were wont of old to wrap themselves about as with a sack in token of their great grief and sadness see 2 Samuel 3:31 1 Kings 20:32 and 21.27 Psalms 35:13 Lamentations 2:10 Matthew 11:21] and he went [or wore so 1Samuel 15.35 and 2 Samuel 13:38] mourning over his sons many days [that is for a long time more than he was wont to do upon other sad occasion.]

35. And all his sons and daughters[his daughter Dinah his daughters in law and his sons daughters]arose to comfort him but he refused to be comforted [not as if Jacob neither had admitted any spiritual comfort but that through human infirmity and greatness of his love to Joseph he was not able so to give over his mourning nor to moderate the same but a remainder of it would or was a hang upon him while he lived] and said for mourning I shall go down to my son [others of my son for my sons sake compare 1Samuel 4.19 ,21 2 Samuel 21:1] into the grave [the Hebrew word signifies sometimes the grave as here below chapter 42.38 and 44.29,31 and Psalms 6:6 and 10.10 Ecclesiastes 9:10 Isaiah 38:18 item all manner of great depths or profound hidden places Job 26:6 Psalms 139:8 Amos 9:2 sometimes hell or the places of the damned as Job11.8 Proverbs 15.111 but thus it cannot be taken here Jacob believed the contrary of his son some whiles it was like wise denotes extraordinary great anguishes and distresses with the sensible apprehension of Gods wrath and displeasure as 1Samuel 2.6 Psalms 18:6 and 86.13.] thus his father wept over him.

36. And the Medanites [see above chapter 25.2] sold him in Egypt to Potiphar Pharaohs courtier [the Hebrew word doth properly signify an Eunuch as Isaiah 56:3,4 and consequently a chamberlain or groom of the chamber the great ladies in those times and countries being allowed none but such to attend them Esther 4:4 from thence the signification began to extend to all kind of courtiers or officers in princes court as here and below chapter 40.2 and 2Kings 8.6] captain of the guard [such as were appointed and entertained to punish the evil doers at the kings command see below chapter 40 verse 3 1Samuel 22.17 mark 6.27 the Hebrew word signifies slayers of beasts and slayers of men.]